Apple unveil the iPad
Thursday, January 28th, 2010The worst kept secret in the IT world was confirmed overnight Australian time with Apple unveiling their new tablet computer, the iPad. You can see some video of Steve Jobs announcing the iPad here.
In short, the iPad looks more like a larger version of the iPhone or iPod Touch, rather then a tablet form iMac or MacBook. It’s very thin and light with a 9.7 inch touch screen.
I can certainly see a market for this in the consumer area, though I wonder if the pricing will put some off (as is so often the case with Apple products). There are three models – a 16GB model for US$499, a 32GB model for US$599 and a 64GB model for US$699. 3G mobile network access is an extra US$130 on any of the models. I have not seen any mention of Australian prices or release dates as yet.
As an avid iPhone user, I can appreciate the convenience of being able to quickly look up a web site or check e-mail on a portable device that is effectively always on. The larger screen on the iPad can only enhance this experience if you are happy to pay for it.
